February 15, 2017

Brock Lesnar has notified UFC that his days fighting in the Octagon are now over. Lesnar, a former UFC Heavyweight Championship who is currently signed to a WWE contract, failed multiple drug tests stemming from his UFC 200 showdown with Mark Hunt in Las Vegas last year, which led to a one-year suspension of his fighting license by the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC), as well as a $250,000 fine.

Lesnar, who is 39, returned to UFC in 2016 after five years away, defeated Hunt, but then was hit with two anti-doping violations from the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA), which oversees the UFC's drug testing program.

Lesnar proclaimed his innocence. He tested positive for clomiphene, an estrogen blocker that can remain in the system for about a month after use. His team said it believed the substance in question was part of a foot cream used by Lesnar in the lead-up to the fight, but he was unaware it contained banned substances. If Lesnar wanted to get back into the Octagon, he would have been eligible in July of this year. This retirement announcement freezes the suspension, and he'd have to fulfill it if he still has a desire to fight down the line.

The retirement announcement has no impact on his WWE career. Some have speculated that Lesnar, who has been criticized by some fans for only appearing in a few pay-per-views a a year, might increase his number of appearances on weekly shows like Raw, where it has been noted that "The Beast" is a ratings boost when he does make an appearance.